FindFace: a database for human faces with some unsettling applications

The August 24 episode of "Babbage", a podcast from The Economist about science and technology news, reports on an worrisome new Russian web-site, FindFace.ru. This website allows you to input a picture of a face and do a search for that person, or someone who looks like that person, on VK.com, the Russian equivalent of Facebook. The website boasts of a 70% accuracy rate.  Moscow police recently used the technology behind FindFace to track down some arsonists, based on the security footage they had of the perpetrators. FindFace also advertises some examples of how to use their service, applications which to most ears would sound unsettling. For example:

• You might be at a bar with friends. The next day, you find out that a perfect stranger photographed you and used FindFace to get your name. He even sent you a message, inviting you for a drink.
• You are out shopping. You look at some of your merchandise but leave without buying anything. The shopowner can use FindFace to retarget you and propose other items that you might want to buy.

Hear more of the creepy details of this app on the first five minutes of the podcast, available on this web-site, or download the episode directly.